20 Greatest Alternative Albums Of 2016

We had nothing but glowing praise for Obscura’s ‘The Monist’ earlier in the year, and the same can be said for the rest of their mind-altering 2016 album release: Akroasis.

Atmospheric soundscapes are tough to achieve when you’re battering the listener’s senses with frequently rotating sections, but admirably, Obscura manage to do just that. Their tight, interlocking arrangements don’t take away from the spacey grandeur that permeates the entire record.

The album is much more than just a technical showcase though, thanks to the band's enhanced songwriting abilities and supremely refined musicianship. It also goes without saying that the bass work courtesy of Linus Klausenitzer is some of the most inventive you will hear from any genre this year.

There’s no two ways about it – Akroasis is a technical metaller’s wet dream.